Illuminated guide line



Jun 13, 1939. GREENE 2,162,302

ILLUMINATED GUIDE LINE Filed July 9, 1957 @7270 E dream I N V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented June 13, 1939 PATENT OFFICE ILLUMINATED GUIDE LINE John H. Greene, Little Rock, Ark. Application July 9, 1937, Serial No. 152,862 4 Claims. ('01. 177-329) The present invention has reference to trafiic lines used as dividing lines for designating traffic lanes of highways.

An important object of the invention is to provide a traflic line which will be visible in the daylight, and one which may be illuminated so that the trafllc line will be clearly visible at night, clearly indicating the traflic lanes, thereby lessening the dangers of night driving.

A further object of the invention is to provide a traillc line ofthis character which will permit light rays to pass therethrough, but at the same time will be exceptionally strong and durable, and

one which will not be rendered inoperative under heavy traffic.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character including a housing so constructed that the material of which the road surface is constructed, will beinterlocked with the housing to insure against the road surface shrinking away from the housing.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

which will appear as the description proceeds,

the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a highway equipped with a trafiic line constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse fragmental sectional view through a highway equipped with the trafflc line.

Referring to the drawing in detail; the traffic line or traffic lane dividing member embodies a pair of channel bars indicated by the reference character 5, the channel bars having their open skies disposed outwardly, as clearly shown by Figure 2 of the drawing. a

The open sides of these channel bars providenel bars, being secured to the base plate, in any suitable and well known manner.

Disposed between the channel bars 5, and

resting on the base plate 6, is a channel bar indicated by the reference character 8, the channel bar 8 having its open side disposed downwardly, the free edges of the channel bar. resting directly on the base plate 6. This channel bar 8, provides a housing for the cable 9, through which the electric wires extend, the electric wires being connected with a suitable source of electricity supply, to supply electric current for the neon tube, to be hereinafter more fully described.

The neon tube is indicated by the reference character l0, and is disposed in spaced relation with the surface of the member 1 I, constructed of transparent material such as pontalite or Bakelite, or with tempered glass blocks, in which the neon tube is supported.

This transparent member II, is of a width toclosely fit against the adjacent surfaces of the channel bars 5, the thickness of the transparent member being equal to the distance between the upper edge of the channel bar 8, and the road surface, providing a smooth and regular, surface with the upper flangesof the channel bars 5.,

It will of course be understood that the channel bar 8 is provided with openings through which the wires, that supply electric energy to the neon within the tube l0, extend, suitable means being provided to insure a close fit between the wires and channel bar 8, so that moisture will be exgluded from the space provided by the channel From the foregoing it will be seen that the upper flanges of the channel bars 5, together tube Ill, the transparent member II will be illuminated, providing a red line throughout the entire length of the road surface, dividing the road surface into, traflic lanes, clearly visible in the dark. In connection with the illuminated traflic line, it might be stated that it has been found in practice that the traffic line when illuminated, will be clearly visible against the light rays of strong automobile headlights, fog or rain,

thereby greatly reducing the dangers of night driving.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A highway traflic line comprising parallel spaced channel bars having their open sides disposed outwardly, providing spaces to receive material of which the highway is constructed, an-

' a base plate on which the channel bars are mounted, a channel bar disposed between the first mentioned channel bars and having its open sides disposed downwardly, a glass block disposed between the parallel channel bars and resting on the last mentioned channel bar, the upper surface of the glass block being flush with the upper edges of the spaced channel bars, electric lighting means within the glass block and electric wires housed in the last mentioned channel bar for directing electric energy to the electric lighting means within the glass block.

2. A highway traflic line comprising parallel spaced bars adapted to be embedded in a highway surface, a base plate on which the bars are mounted, means for dividing the space between the bars into upper and lower compartments, a glass block disposed within the upper compartment, the upper edge of the glass block being flush with the upper edges of the bars, electric lighting means within the glass block, and disposed longitudinally thereof, and electric wires housed in the lower compartment for directing electric energy to the electric lighting means in the glass block.

3. A highway trafiic line comprising parallel spaced bars disposed centrally of the highway and arranged longitudinally thereof, means within the space dividing the space into upper and lower compartment, said means including a horizontal partition, a glassblock resing on the horizontal partition and extending longitudinally of the highway, electric means in the glass block for illuminating the glass block, and electric wires extending through the lower compartment for directing electric energy to the electric means.

4. A highway traflic line comprising parallel spaced bars disposed centrally of the highway and arranged longitudinally thereof, means within the space dividing the space into upper and lower compartments, said means including a horizontal partition, a transparent block resting on the horizontal partition and extending longitudinaily of the highway, and lighting means between the spaced bars for illuminating the block.

i JOHN H. GREENE. 

